(Photo courtesy of Dixon family)
Twins Jorden and Jayden Dixon threw out the first pitch at Truist Park before the Atlanta Braves played the Milwaukee Brewers Friday, July 28.
The Dixon brothers are baseball players at Clark Atlanta University. Jorden is a senior and Jayden is a graduate student. The brothers also own a photography business called, “Better Images.”
This summer the twins have been working to promote themselves as athletes, photographers, and videographers. Jayden has been in Atlanta working with the South Dekalb Tribe, a non-profit travel baseball organization as a social media manager, photographer, and videographer. He also has been working with Minority Baseball Prospects (MBP), while playing in the MBP Collegiate League.
Jorden has been interning within the Major League Baseball photography department.
“Being in photos this summer, I have learned a lot about what it takes to be a professional photographer and how to refine my skills, how to make myself and my business, as well as my brother better in all aspects,” said Jorden.
On May 25, 2023, the Atlanta Braves invited the Dixon brothers to photograph and record video at Truist Park when the Braves took on the Philadelphia Phillies.
Regarding the brothers’ relationship with the Braves, Jorden said, “We got a chance to speak with Greg Mize [Vice President, Marketing and Innovation at Atlanta Braves] about what we do around the community and we were offered an opportunity, in early June, to come out and shoot a game for the Braves as honorary photographers for the day.
He continued, “The relationship we have been able to build with that organization has been great. They are really open to what we are trying to do and they are helping us build our foundation within the business.”
Jayden described the opportunity to throw out the first pitch as “amazing.” “I never thought I would be doing anything that is even close to this. It shows people of my color, people of my age and people younger than me coming up and wanting to do the same things that anything is possible.”
Jorden added, “Everybody does not get a chance to do this in their lifetime. For my brother and I to be selected and just even thought about, our names being brought up in rooms around people that we have never met before and have never seen, it is a great opportunity and it feels amazing to just be considered to honor our HBCU, Clark Atlanta University, our business, everything that we do and everything that we stand for this evening.”
This week the Braves are celebrating Hank Aaron Week and Jorden described what comes with honoring Hank Aaron, “There is plenty of pride…[Tonight] is a great end cap to what the Braves are doing and what we started this week as far as the ribbon cutting [referring to the new batting facility the Atlanta Braves foundation gifted to Clark Atlanta University.] It is great honor to be able to be able to continue his legacy on and off the baseball field”
The Dixon brothers mentioned there are many who have helped them grow their business and get to where they are today. Among those mentioned were coach Willie Slaton, IV of the South Dekalb Tribe, Alexander Wyche, founder of Minority Baseball Prospects, and CAU baseball head coach Kentaus “KC” Carter.
Jayden talked about what the first pitch will do for them as athletes and for their business, “Tonight will gain us more exposure. More people will see us as two African American young men who aspire to do something great with a camera and with confidence.”